Egg case



` substantial parts and is capable of being' Patented Get. 16, 19223,.H

nnirsnsrarss tenen MTENTQW FRANK s. MCCULLOUGH, 0F SAN rmiivois'oo, cALiioRriri/li.

EGG CASE.

Application led prl 20, 1921. Serial No. 462,976.

more particularly to shipping cases such 'as are employed for the packing and shipping and storage of eggs.

-It is one of the objects of the present in-A vention to provide an egg case of such Aconstruction that the arrangement and packing of tiers of cardboard racks with eggs may be vgreatly"facilitated and it is, as well, an object to provide for the facile removal of each rack ortier of eggs from the caseas may be desired particularly in the successive removal and replacement of tiers ofv eggs and their racks 'for' purposes of eX- amination, processing or other handling.

A further object of the invention .is to provide an egg shipping case that is of eX.- tremely simple construction, is of few and readily assembled and secured in a closed position of its parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide an egg shipping case havinga substantial wall structure open at the top and at one side and having means to slidably interlock to close the open side and having a cover to be secured in place after the closure at the open side has been applied.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of'which with the foregoing, will be made manifest in the following description of the preferred forni of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to beunderstood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment shown by the said drawings and description as variations my be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claim.

Fig. l, is a perspective of the assembled and closed case ;l a portion of the top being broken away.V p y Fig. 2, is a perspective of an showing the rebated inner c'orner.- l

Fig. 3, is a perspective of the detached side closure or panel.

Fig. 4, is a perspective of the detached top.

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end f wall i It is thecOmmOn practice to market eggs 1n Vcases of suitable dimensions in which there is generally a dividing wall extending transversely across .the case `""'etween its ends thus forming subdivisions of 'the case ch'aniber and in each lof these subdivisions eggs* arranged tiers; the eggs being maintained in separate relation in cellular racks usually of paste# board and each lof 'the racks with its conin` .superposed horizontal' tentsof eggs `is separated vertically by aV piece of pasteboard, `which' forms the bottoms of the 'cells' ofthe racks. A`The cases commonly have rigidly secured end: walls and parallel sidewalls so that the tiers of eggs andv racks are successively built up from the bottom in the case compartinents`r and then the case is closed at 'theopen upper portion by atop. l y 'i This :requires considerable "care `)and V'time in the stacking ofthe eggs? 'In'isome-'egg handling establishments it is the practice to examine, or process or transfer the eggs ,and to replace them in the same or other cases and the present invention consists of a case of such construction that theremoval and insertionv of the arranged eggs in each tier can be quickly and safely done by a direct, horizontal, lateral movement from the case instead of the slow and diiiicult system practiced of taking the tiers one after the other from the top downwardly in unloading the case. Conversely the present invention provides for the rapid loading and replacing of tiers of'eggs in a case by lateral,`horizontal movement of each tier inwardly to its proper position in the case.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown as consisting ofa case having substantial end walls 2 2, re-enforced trans.- versely by outside cleats 3, and at the lower ends of the end walls is secured a suitableJ bottom 4, and one longitudinally extending side Wall 5, is rigidly secured to the ends 2 2, and the bottom 3. A dividing partition 6, is secured to the side wall 5, and to the bottom 4. This construction therefore provides one open sideand the open top orlupper re-enforcng strips 3. The top or cover 7, may be further re-enforced by cross pieces 9-9.

For the purpose of closing the open side of the case opposite to the fixed side 5, a removable and loosely retained side panel 10, is provided, the vertical ends of which are designed to readily slide into vertical channels or rebates 1l, provided to receive the same in the inner faces of the end walls 2. Preferably the removable side panel l0, is 11e-enforced by vertical cleats l2, contiguous to the ends that are insertible into the rebates 1l, of the walls.

For the purpose of staying the upper corners of the end walls at the open side of the case they are connected as by a longitudinally extending stay strip as a tape-like metal 13, the ends of which are secured to the outer surface of the end walls 2-2 and may be covered by the contiguous portion of the re-enforced cleats 3. The stay strip 13, is designed to reach across the upright reenforcing cleats l2, of the removable panel 10, and is preferably bent or flexed inwardly as at 13a, so as to approach the surface of the panel l0. This arrangement tends to prevent the stay strip 18, from bending outwardly 0r forwardly and protects it against entanglement with foreign obstacles.

From the above it will be seen that the presentl case may be quickly packed with tiers of eggs while the side panel l0, is removed and before the cover 7, is applied and enables the ready removal of the tiers of eggs with their racks by a longitudinal, lateral shifting of each of the tiers while the side panel is removed. After the desired processing or handling of the tiers of eggs has been accomplished and the case has again been loaded, the side panel 10, is slid into its position interlocking inthe rebates 11, of the end panels 2, and then the cover or top 7, is applied and may be nailed, stapled or otherwise fastened as to the top edges of the end walls 2.

What is claimed is:

An egg case comprising rigidly connected end walls, bottom and longitudinal side providing an open side and an open top, the end walls at the open side being provided on their inner faces with vertical grooves, a longitudinal side adapted t0 be slipped downward in said grooves to close the open side, a top closure and a longitudinal stay strip secured to the end walls adjacent their upper edges and extending across the open side of the case in front of the removable longitudinal side.

In testimony whereof, l have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK S. MCCULLUGH. 

